is it's much harder to define a win for john boehner. you know, is a win, you know, holding absolutely fast? is a win saying, you know, great, we were the party that managed to cut social security for the middle class? that's going to be pretty hard to go into another election with. >> you know, do you agree with that assessment that it's easier for the president, cynthia, because he basically wins on taxes. he's the robin hood, if you will, of this issue. he's looking out for the regular people against the people on the top. on the other side he's saying, you republicans, you can be the scrooges this winter. i have to go along with it. but you're forcing me to do it, so you're the bad guys. so i think i agree with chrystia. this is basically a setup if there is a deal for the president. >> well, i do think that the president would certainly get a big win with the middle class tax cut piece of this which i think is going to pass. whether it passes by the first of the year is another matter, but i think he'll get that piece of it. but i t